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The words of saints and sages.Mon, 19 Mar 2018 11:16:24 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/45f5d6c475881132a332dd4d0395dc61?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngSaintlySageshttps://saintlysages.wordpress.com
Lenten Meditation 34: Divine Love Victorious Over God Himselfhttps://saintlysages.wordpress.com/2018/03/19/lenten-meditation-34-divine-love-victorious-over-god-himself/
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 11:11:23 +0000http://saintlysages.wordpress.com/?p=6797Continue reading →]]>1. Our God is omnipotent: who then will ever over come and conquer him? But no, says St. Bernard, love towards man has conquered and triumphed over him: for this his love has caused him to die in torments upon a disgraceful cross to secure man’s salvation. O infinite love! unhappy the soul that loves Thee not.

2, What man, passing by Calvary on that day when Jesus was dying upon the cross, if, on inquiring who that criminal was, crucified in such a mangled state, he had been told that it was the Son of God, true God, equal with his Father, had he not been a believer, would not have said with the Gentiles that to believe such things was folly? “It appeared folly,” says St. Gregory, “that the author of life should die for men.” If it would have appeared folly to suppose that a king would become a worm for the love of a worm; greater still would have appeared the folly of believing that God had become man for the love of man, to die for man. This led St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi to say, concerning this immense love of God, “My Jesus, Thou lovest us to infatuation.”

3. Christian, lift up your eyes, and behold that afflicted one upon the cross, oppressed with grief and torments, struggling in his agony, on the point of expiring, dying for the pure love of you. Know you who he is? He is your God. And if you believe that he is thy God, ask who has reduced him to such a miserable condition. “What has done this?” says St. Bernard. “Love has done it, regardless of its own dignity.” It was love, which refuses no pain, nor disgrace, when it would make itself known and exert itself for its beloved.

Jesus! it was because Thou didst so much love me, that Thou didst suffer so much for me: if Thou hadst loved me less Thou wouldst have suffered less. I love Thee, my dear Redeemer, with my whole heart. And how can I refuse God my whole love, when he has not refused me his precious blood, his life? I love Thee, O Jesus, my love, my all! Holy Mary, Virgin of virgins, help me by thy prayers faithfully to love Jesus.

Text from St. Alphonsus de Liguori, The Way of Salvation and Perfection, ed. Eugene Grimm, 2d ed. (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1886).

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]]>saintlysagesChristian Perfectionhttps://saintlysages.wordpress.com/2018/03/19/christian-perfection-2/
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 10:11:47 +0000http://saintlysages.wordpress.com/?p=6838Continue reading →]]>Father Frassinetti distinguishes Christian sanctity from Christian perfection. He explains that sanctity is “a simple holiness, and has its own intrinsic good without the perfection which it ought to have, as gold just taken out of the earth is true gold and precious, but is full of alloy, and has not the beautiful splendour which it afterwards acquires when purified. And therefore perfect sanctity is generally called Christian perfection, which consists not only in the possession of sanctifying grace, but also in the most perfect union of the soul’s will with the Will of God. This perfect sanctity those souls possess who, disengaging themselves from every inordinate attachment to creatures, live resolved never to commit anything displeasing to God, and in everything are ready to do whatsoever they clearly know to be pleasing to Him. For this reason they cautiously guard themselves against venial sins, and in things which are not expressly commanded or prohibited by the laws of God and the Church apply themselves always to do that which they see to be most conformable to God’s pleasure.”

“When our heart is resolved to desire nothing but what the heart of God desires, it becomes united in such a manner with the same that it forms almost one heart; and thus between us and God there is true love, and the perfection of love.”

“This perfect sanctity is without doubt what God desires in all Christians; in fact, who would dare to say that God permits us to commit venial sins, and will be contented that we should prefer our own will and pleasure to His, leaving undone what we clearly know to be His pleasure?”

“A master insists that his servant shall obey him in those things which he absolutely commands, but he also wishes him to carry out any unexpressed desire; and consequently that servant only is considered the best who takes care not to cause his master knowingly any, even the very least, displeasure, and who endeavours to satisfy his desires in all things.”

]]>saintlysagesLenten Meditation 33: The Trouble and Confusion of the Hour of Deathhttps://saintlysages.wordpress.com/2018/03/18/lenten-meditation-33-the-trouble-and-confusion-of-the-hour-of-death/
Sun, 18 Mar 2018 11:11:22 +0000http://saintlysages.wordpress.com/?p=6796Continue reading →]]>1. Be ye always ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come [Luke 12:40]. “Be ye always ready.” Our blessed Saviour does not tell us to begin to prepare ourselves when death has arrived, but to prepare ourselves beforehand; because the time of death will be a time of confusion, when it will be morally impossible to prepare ourselves in a proper manner to appear for judgment, and to obtain a favorable sentence. ” It is a just punishment,” says St. Augustin, “upon him who, having it in his power to do good, will not do it, not to be able to do it afterwards when he desires to do it.”

No, my God! I will not wait until that time to begin a change of life. Make known to me what I must now do to please Thee, for I desire to do without reserve whatever Thou requirest of me.

2. The time of death is the time of night, when nothing can be done. The night cometh on, when no man can work [John 9:4]. The fatal news of the disease being mortal, the grief and pains which accompany it, the disordered state of the head, and, above all, remorse of conscience, will cast the poor sick man into such a state of distress and confusion as to hinder him from knowing what he is doing. He will anxiously desire to escape damnation, but will not find the means, for the time of chastisement will be at hand. I will repay them in due time, that their foot may slide [Deut 32:35].

O my God! I give Thee thanks for allowing me time to amend, now that it is the time of mercy and not of punishment. I would rather lose all things than forfeit Thy grace. My sovereign good, I love Thee above all things.

3. Imagine yourself in a vessel overtaken by a storm in the midst of the sea, already struck upon a rock and on the point of sinking; think how great would be your confusion, and that you would not know what to do to escape death. And hence imagine how great will be the confusion of the sinner, who at his death finds himself in a bad state of conscience. His will, his relatives, the last sacraments, restitutions to be made, the calls of God which he despised, oh, what a tempest will all these things create in the soul of the poor dying sinner! Go then, go now and put your troubled conscience in order.

O my God! let not Thy blood be shed for me in vain. Thou hast promised pardon to him that repents, wherefore do I grieve from the bottom of my heart for the many offences I have committed against Thee. I love Thee, O Lord! above all things, and will nevermore offend Thee.

Text from St. Alphonsus de Liguori, The Way of Salvation and Perfection, ed. Eugene Grimm, 2d ed. (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1886).

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]]>saintlysagesChristian Sanctityhttps://saintlysages.wordpress.com/2018/03/18/christian-sanctity-2/
Sun, 18 Mar 2018 10:11:46 +0000http://saintlysages.wordpress.com/?p=6837Continue reading →]]>Here and in the next few posts, we shall read from The Consolation of the Devout Soul by Venerable Joseph Frassinetti (1804-1868), Prior of St. Sabina in Genoa and founder of the Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate. This English edition was translated by Georgiana Lady Chatterton (1806–1876) and bears an imprimatur from William Bernard Ullathorne, Bishop of Birmingham, England, dated 1876.

Father Frassinetti states that he wrote this book to dispel the error “that sanctity or Christian perfection is something excessively difficult to acquire.” He adds: “I wish this little book to suit all capacities, for God wills that all should be holy; and in every condition, every state of life, there are people to be found, I think, who are in need of some light—or, more correctly speaking, of some attention and reflection—on the facility of arriving at sanctification.”

What is Christian sanctity? Father Frassinetti answers: “All holy persons agree that Christian sanctity consists in charity—that is, in the fulfilment of the Divine Will; so that a soul which executes the Divine Will is a holy soul: and the better this is carried out the more holy is the soul. . . . Remember, then, O devout soul, in whatever state and condition you find yourself, that if you strive to follow the Will of God you are holy, and that the more you try to carry it out perfectly the more holy will you be.”

“But what is required, you will ask, to fulfil the Holy Will of God? I answer, nothing more and nothing less than the observance of the commandments of God’s law, and of the Church which commands us by Divine authority. If you fulfil well these commandments you accomplish the Holy Will of God, and by this you are holy.”

“We should distinguish two kinds of holiness. The first is simple sanctity, which consists in the possession of sanctifying grace; and this all souls possess that are pure from mortal sin. The second is sanctity perfected; and this consists in the perfect union of our will with the Will of God; so that the soul abhors not only mortal sin, but also deliberate venial sins, and is ready to execute that which we clearly know to be the most pleasing to God, even in things which are not expressly commanded.”

]]>saintlysagesLenten Meditation 32: The Parable of the Prodigal Sonhttps://saintlysages.wordpress.com/2018/03/17/lenten-meditation-32-the-parable-of-the-prodigal-son/
Sat, 17 Mar 2018 11:11:20 +0000http://saintlysages.wordpress.com/?p=6795Continue reading →]]>1. St. Luke writes (chap, xv.) that an ungrateful son, disdaining to remain in subjection to his father, went one day to demand from him his inheritance, that he might live as he pleased; and having obtained it, turned his back upon his father and went his way to live in vice in a far distant country. This prodigal son is a figure of the sinner, who, abusing the liberty which God has granted him, forsakes God, and lives in iniquity far away from him.

O my Lord, and my Father! this is what I have done, when to satisfy my capricious desires I have so often forsaken Thee, to live at a distance from Thee deprived of Thy grace.

2. But as it happened to the prodigal son, that, having left his father, he was reduced to so great misery that he was unable to satisfy himself with the husks which the swine refused to eat; so does it happen to the sinner. When he forsakes God, he can nowhere find contentment nor peace; because, at a distance from God, all the pleasures of the earth cannot satisfy his heart. The prodigal son, seeing himself reduced to such a state of misery, said within himself, I will arise and go to my father? Do Thou, Christian, in like manner, arise from the filth of sin and return to your heavenly Father, who will not reject you.

Yes, my God, my Father, I confess that I have done evil in forsaking Thee; I am sorry for it and repent of it with my whole heart. Oh, do not cast me off now that I return to Thee penitent, and resolved nevermore to depart from before Thy feet. My dear Father, forgive me, pardon me, give me the kiss of peace and receive me into Thy favor.

3. The prodigal son, on his return, cast himself with humility at his father’s feet and said, Father, I am not worthy to be called thy son. Upon which his father embraced him with tenderness, and, forgetting all his past ingratitude, welcomed him with the greatest affection, and was overjoyed at regaining his son who was lost.

Most tender Father, suffer me to cast myself with sorrow at Thy feet, for my multiplied offences against Thee. I am not worthy to be called Thy son, having so many times forsaken and despised Thee; but I know that Thou art so good a parent that Thou wilt not reject a repentant child. If hitherto I have not loved Thee, I will now love Thee above all things, and will willingly undergo any suffering for Thy love. Assist me with Thy holy grace, that I may ever remain faithful to Thee. O Mary, God is my Father, thou art my Mother; be not forgetful of me.

Text from St. Alphonsus de Liguori, The Way of Salvation and Perfection, ed. Eugene Grimm, 2d ed. (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1886).

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]]>saintlysagesUseful Temptationshttps://saintlysages.wordpress.com/2018/03/17/useful-temptations-2/
Sat, 17 Mar 2018 10:11:45 +0000http://saintlysages.wordpress.com/?p=6836Continue reading →]]>Cardinal Manning explains that “all the manifold temptations of life are used by God for these two purposes: first, to try us, as I have said, and to increase our merit, and therefore our reward; and secondly, to sanctify the soul—out of the very temptations themselves God creates the discipline of sanctification.”

“Every such act of resistance to temptation is, first of all, an act of faith. It is done for motives of faith, it is done because we appreciate the goodness and love of God. We make a deliberate choice between God and the temptation. . . . Every single act of resisting temptation obtains merit and reward in the sight of God, and they who are the most tempted obtain the most merit, if they faithfully resist.”

“Until a man is tried in temptation, he does not know himself. . . . A man who thinks that he is afar off from being proud, let him find himself superior to his neighbours; a man who thinks he is in no danger of being covetous, let him suddenly become rich; a man who thinks he is in no danger of falling into particular temptations, some day finds himself surrounded by them—he then learns what he is.”

“Temptation teaches us to know what we are. It throws a light in upon our hearts, and we learn that before God we are spotted and stained, and full of tumultuous affections and passions, with crookedness in the will, darkness in the understanding; and when we come to the knowledge of this, it breaks down the loftiness of our vainglory. It is a very unpleasant discovery, but very wholesome—nothing so salutary as for a man to find his own great instability, that he cannot trust himself. When he has come to know that he cannot trust himself, then he has come to know his need of the grace of God.”

“God uses temptations to chastise us; for the temptations which beset us are nine times in ten the effects and the consequences of the faults and sins of our life past.”

“Lastly, He uses temptations to awaken and excite in our hearts a hatred of sin.”

]]>saintlysagesLenten Meditation 31: The Happy Death of the Justhttps://saintlysages.wordpress.com/2018/03/16/lenten-meditation-31-the-happy-death-of-the-just/
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 11:11:18 +0000http://saintlysages.wordpress.com/?p=6794Continue reading →]]>1. To the just man death is not a punishment, but a reward; it is not dreaded by him, but desired. How can it be dreadful to him if it is to terminate all his pains, afflictions, and conflicts, and all danger of losing God? Those words, “Depart, Christian soul, out of this world,” which strike such terror into the soul of the sinner, fill the soul that loves God with joy. The just man is not afflicted at leaving the good things of this world, because God has always been his only good; not at leaving honors, because he has always regarded them as smoke; not at being separated from his friends and relatives, because he has always loved them in God and for God. Hence, as in life he frequently exclaimed, “My God and my all!” he now repeats the same in death, with ecstasies of delight; the time being at hand for him to return to his God who made him, to love him face to face forever and ever in heaven.

2. The sorrows of death do not afflict him; he even rejoices to sacrifice the last remnants of his life as a testimony of his love for God, uniting the sufferings of his death to the sufferings of Jesus when dying on the cross. The thought that the time of sin and the danger of losing God are now past overwhelms him with delight. The devil fails not to suggest to his mind thoughts of despondency at the recollection of his past sins; but as he has for many years bewailed them, and loved Jesus Christ with his whole heart, he is not dismayed, but comforted.

O Jesus! how good and faithful art Thou to a soul that seeks and loves Thee!

3. As the sinner who dies in mortal sin experiences, in the internal troubles and rage which he suffers in death, a foretaste of hell; so does the just man experience in death a foretaste of heaven. His acts of confidence and of the love of God, and his ardent desire to see God, afford him a beginning of that happiness which is soon to be completed for him in heaven. With what gladness does he welcome the holy Viaticum when brought into his chamber! He exclaims like St. Philip Neri when he was on his death-bed, “Because I have offended Thee, my God, I will say to Thee, with St. Bernard, ‘Thy wounds are my merits.'”

Text from St. Alphonsus de Liguori, The Way of Salvation and Perfection, ed. Eugene Grimm, 2d ed. (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1886).